Kenya Postpones Renewable Energy Drive to Reduce Power Costs

About 80 percent of that additional output will be tapped from facilities powered by coal, liquefied natural gas, and geothermal, Chirchir said in a phone interview on Nov. 25 from Nairobi, the capital. Wind and solar power will contribute a maximum of 15 percent of new supplies and projects already under way have filled that quota. Hydropower and diesel-fired sources will comprise the remainder, he said. “The planned energy mix is what will give us the tariff and reliability of supply we want,” Chirchir said. Kenya plans to reduce average electricity prices by as much as 23 percent over the next three years, though industrial, mid- sized and large domestic users may initially see tariffs increase by as much as 12 percent. A surge in generation from more economical power sources is key to cutting bills for consumers, Energy Regulatory Commission Acting Director-General Fre...